Search form

Stanford Edges Arizona St. To Remain Unbeaten

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Josh Childress soared for a rebound basket with 9.4seconds to play to give No. 4 Stanford a 63-62 victory over Arizona State onThursday night.

The Cardinal (12-0, 3-0 Pac-10) had leads of 16 points late in the firsthalf and 14 early in the second, but barely escaped to beat Arizona State forthe 12th consecutive time and ninth in a row on the Sun Devils' home court.

Jason Braxton missed an open seven-footer at the buzzer for Arizona State.The referees conferred for a moment, then ruled the game was over - it was notimmediately clear what they were talking about.

Jamal Hill's 3-pointer, his first points against Stanford in three games,put Arizona State (6-5, 0-2) up 62-59 with 2:23 to play.

Chris Hernandez made the first of two free throws, then missed the secondbut got another try because of an Arizona State lane violation. He made thatone to cut the lead to 62-61 with 1:29 to play.

Braxton, a 46 percent free-throw shooter who scored all 13 of his points inthe second half, missed the front end of a one-and-one with 21 seconds to play.Stanford worked the ball into Justin Davis, who missed, but Childress got therebound and scored.

Childress, in his third game after missing the first nine with a stressreaction in his right foot, had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Davis added 11points. Hernandez and Matt Lottich scored 10 points apiece for Stanford, whichplays at No. 3 Arizona on Saturday.

The Sun Devils used a pressure man-to-man defense and a suddenly effectiveoffense to take the lead 56-55 on Angounou's 16-footer with 6:39 to play.

Stanford led 40-26 after Justin Davis made one of two free throws with 18:41left in the game.

Arizona State got back into it with a 16-4 run that cut it to 46-44 onDiogu's eight-footer with 12:29 to play. Diogu's stuff put the Sun Devils up59-58 with 3:16 to go. Lottich made one of two free throws to tie it at 59-59with 2:58 remaining.

The Sun Devils led 15-9 before Stanford took over with a 26-4 run. Childressand Lottich scored eight apiece during the outburst.

Davis started the surge with consecutive rebound baskets, and Lottichpunctuated it with a fastbreak layup that put the Cardinal ahead 35-19 with4:05 left in the half.

Diogu's 43 consecutive double-digit scoring games is the longest currentstreak in the nation. West Virginia's Drew Schifino saw his streak end at 48games with a nine-point performance against Notre Dame on Wednesday night.

Arizona State has not beaten a team ranked higher than No. 5 at home sinceWells Fargo Arena opened in 1874-75.